Local Band: River Bed Jed

Anticipation is high as an echoing guitar starts out. A dark Morrison/Cornell-like blues taunts you as the sly bass chords hint at its arrival. After a brief silence—boom! Philosophy is in high gear for the first song of the set at Spanky’s on the 26th of December.

Power. Loud—no eardrums bleeding—but the soul quakes. You’re hearing Riverbed Jed. This four-man band creates a meditational orgy of sound and energy that captures the audience instantly.

Devin Affleck (drummer) can hold a conversation like he carries his drums: demanding and precise.

Lance Everfill (guitarist) is “mom” to the band in scheduling shows and practices, but when playing, Everfill becomes “the renegade” with his breathtaking riffs on the Gibson.

Jimmy James Velour (bassist) keeps the frenzy going with definite “Fuck You!” sounds that keep the crowd in touch.

Chad Herd (guitarist/vocals) is surely the focal point with the presence of a king. He’ll stroke your senses with his bluesy-grunge vocals that sugar the sounds for the RJ experience.

In the recently released Salt Flat compilation CD (available now), anyone can get a taste of this upcoming Salt Lake phenomena. Even though nothing is better than a live show, especially when ad-libbing is just a part of Riverbed Jed’s “natural creation,” it’s definitely a plus.

We hope to hear more from this band—a definite change from most of Salt Lake’s usual. When asked about the band’s objective, Herd states: “I’d really like to be able to affect people mentally to impress their attitudes to music and its power and energy. People really underestimate the force, like Pied Piper leading the mice out of town mother fucker.”

Check out more from the SLUG Archives:
Salt Lake Indies: February 1992
The Skeletones: Do the Rockabilly ‘Til The Break of Day